The present invention relates generally to elevating devices and more particularly to portable elevating devices.
In hunting, photographing, or watching deer, bear, turkey, or other wildlife, an elevated position offers many advantages. First, being located above the normal sight lines allows the sportsman to be above the keen eye of the wildlife to thus prevent the wildlife from being spooked. Further, this allows the sportsman to have a vantage point for better and broader observation into the brush and other wildlife habitat. Secondly, the scent of the sportsman will be carried above and beyond the keen sense of smell of the wildlife to thus prevent the wildlife from being spooked from that reason also. Thirdly, it is also safer to be at elevated positions since bullets, arrows, and the like have less tendency to ricochet and will travel less distance if shot down toward the ground than if shot in a standing position. Additionally, the sportsman is not in the line of fire of other sportsmen.
Thus, the use of stands, scaffolds, and the like are preferred by many sportsmen. Additionally, portable devices are particularly preferred since built-in platforms are not allowed in many areas and must naturally remain at the same location. Further, portable devices which can be carried by the sportsman are specifically preferred since they can be utilized deep in the woods and other habitat far from motor vehicle accessibility.
However, prior portable elevating devices had severe deficiencies. Many prior portable elevating devices required excessive physical strength and energy to use. For example, many required the sportsman to hug the tree and raise a stand attached to the sportman's feet. Further, many required that the tree have no limbs to the desired height. Likewise, many could not be utilized to climb utility poles, slippery barked trees, and the like. Thus, a need has arisen for a portable elevating device which overcomes these deficiencies.